Osservazioni sul genere Psammopsyllus (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Cylindropsyllidae) e descrizione di tre nuove specie.

Cottarelli V.¹, A.C. Puccetti¹ & P.E. Saporito ¹
Boll. Mus. civ. St. nat. Verona, 11:1-29 (1984)

In this paper a redescription of Psammopsyllus operculatus Nicholls is given, and observations on variability of some characters, based on the examination of specimens collected in several localities, are presented.
Three new species of Psammopsyllus are described: P. arganoi n.sp., found in interstitial waters of Mexico coasts, and P. longipes n.sp. that, as P. brevipes n.sp., was also collected in interstitial waters of Indonesian coasts. P. arganoi n.sp. is characterized by the shape of furcal branches, elongate and narrow with a dorsal "crest", by the morphology of P1 and by the peculiar oramentation of legs P2-P5. This species is related to P.operculatus
P. longipes n.sp. has legs P1 and exopods P2-P4 narrow and elongate; morphology and ornamentation of P5 are also characetristic. The species shows some affinities with P. operculatus
P. brevis n.sp. is distinguished among the other species by presenting an enlargment of fourth and fifth segments of male antennules, by the morphology of legs P2-P4 in both sexes and by the characteristic position and form of legs P5. Also this species presents great affinities with P. operculatus.
Besides a discussion on the geonemy, a list of all known species of Psammopsyllus, a redescription of the genus and a key for identification of species are presented. Two groups of species of Psammopsyllus are also proposed: "operculatus" (seven species) and "arenarius" (four species). These groups are distinguished by bearing or not one seta on the first segment of endopod P1. Finally some considerations on the ecology of the different species are given.

1. Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali - Università della Tuscia - 01100 Viterbo - Italy
e-mail: Cottarel@unitus.it

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